Six countries offer to build nuclear power plants here

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Sri Lanka had received six proposals for the construction of nuclear plants here. Prof. S. R. D. Rosa, Chairman – Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB) said during a recent seminar organised by the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) on ‘Potential of nuclear energy and its challenges in Sri Lanka.

Russia’s Rosatom, China’s China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), France’s Électricité de France (EDF), and Denmark’s Seaborg have submitted proposals.

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation of the US (USNC) and Canada’s Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) have expressed willingness, he said.

“The proposal from Russia is very comprehensive. Russia is building two nuclear power plants in Bangladesh and one in Kudankulam, India, which is only about 207 kilometres from Kalpitiya. I think Russians also want us to join their regional efforts. We had many discussions with Rosatom officials, including many Zoom sessions, and finalised the proposals. To finalise this, we need to sign intergovernmental agreements (IGAs). We sent the proposal to the Foreign Ministry six or seven months ago, but we still have not received an answer. It’s probably because of the Russia-Ukraine war and IMF, etc.,” he said.

Sri Lanka had also received a complete proposal from China and representatives from CNNC visited Sri Lanka about two months ago. The CNNC officials had met SLAEB and even brought a prototype, Prof. Rosa said.

“EDF too has sent a proposal. We then have a unique proposal from Denmark. Seaborg Technologies is a private Danish startup.

They are building barges or floating nuclear power plants. Seaborg Technologies is working on building power plants in Vietnam, and Indonesia and wants to build a third one for Sri Lanka,” Prof. Rosa said, adding that USNC and AECL had sent proposals of willingness, but they were not complete or comprehensive proposals. Sri Lanka now had received six proposals, he said. Seaborg had offered a power barge, Russia has offered Sri Lanka both onshore and offshore power plants, and the others had proposed conventional nuclear power plants, he said.